U.S. sanctions former DR Congo president Joseph Kabila

The United States imposed sanctions on former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila, the Treasury Department said on Thursday.

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said it targeted Kabila “for his role in supporting the March 23 Movement (M23) and the Congo River Alliance (Alliance Fleuve Congo, AFC).”

These measures come amid accusations by Washington that Kabila provided direct support to the M23 Movement, a rebel group reportedly backed by Rwanda. He is also alleged to have links with the Congo River Alliance, a political-military coalition comprising armed groups seeking to destabilize the central government in Kinshasa.

Previously, the current government in Kinshasa, led by President Félix Tshisekedi, once considered an ally of Kabila, accused him of being “the undisputed leader of M23.” The government has also sentenced him to death in absentia. However, the verdict and trial process have been criticized as “political vendetta” and “blatantly unfair” by Human Rights Watch.

Under the sanctions, all assets and property owned by Kabila within the United States or under U.S. jurisdiction will be frozen. In addition, a comprehensive ban has been placed on any financial transactions involving him that pass through the U.S. financial system. These measures aim to isolate Kabila from international financial networks and cut off potential funding sources that could support rebel military activities, thereby constraining the operational and political capacity of armed groups.

The sanctions are expected to provoke mixed reactions. They may strengthen the position of the current government led by President Tshisekedi in its efforts to curb Kabila’s influence and that of his allies. Conversely, Kabila’s supporters may view the move as politically motivated, aimed at sidelining him from the national scene. These developments are also likely to intensify international pressure on neighboring countries, particularly Rwanda, to cease support for rebel groups and commit to regional peace initiatives focused on disarmament and stabilization in the Great Lakes region.

Kabila has reportedly been considering a return to power. In his March interview with The New York Times, he did not rule out the possibility of re-entering politics.

The latest round of sanctions also follows earlier measures imposed by the Trump administration on senior Rwandan military officials accused of involvement with the M23 Movement. It also comes at a time when Washington is showing increased interest in Congolese critical minerals.

However, the sanctions place Kabila under significant legal and political strain, especially amid ongoing international investigations into alleged crimes committed in areas controlled by the M23 Movement. As tensions persist on the ground, public opinion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains focused on whether these measures will alter the internal balance of power and reduce the intensity of military operations, or instead push affected actors toward further escalation in an attempt to establish new facts on the ground before yielding to international pressure.